How to Make a Johnny Appleseed Puppet

Johnny Appleseed planted apple trees throughout the American West.

Whether you are celebrating Johnny Appleseed's birthday on September 26 or simply celebrating your love of apple trees, commemorate the naturalist John Chapmen by making a handmade puppet craft. This paper-bag puppet is simple enough to make with a preschooler and quick enough to complete while your apple pie is baking. It can be used in free-form dramatic play or to act out scenes from Johnny Appleseed's frontier adventures, as he planted apple trees all over the American West. His distinctive appearance--always barefoot and wearing a cooking pot on his head--makes for a simple design.

Things You'll Need

• Paper bag (brown or white)
• 9-by-12 sheet black construction paper
• 9-by-12 sheet beige or peach construction paper
• Black washable marker
• 2 google eyes (peel and stick)
• 6 3-inch strips of brown yarn
• Glue stick or liquid white glue
• Clear tape

Instructions

1. 

   Give Johnny a big smile.

   Place your paper bag with the bottom flap folded forward so it makes a rectangle at the top of your bag. Place the two peel-and-stick eyes near the top of that rectangle. Draw the nose and mouth with the black marker.

2. 

   Johnny Appleseed carried his cooking pot on his head during rain showers.

   Draw a pan on black construction paper, using your pencil. It can be a simple shape such as a 3-by-3-inch square with a 2-inch handle sticking out to one side. Cut that shape out with your scissors, and use a glue stick or liquid glue to place it on your puppet's head upside-down as a hat.

3. 

   Don't forget that Johnny never wore shoes.

   Draw two bare feet on your beige or peach paper, and cut them out. Glue one to each side of the bottom of the bag, near the opening.

4. 

   Use yarn for the hair.

   Tape three strips of yarn beneath the bottom of the upturned pan on each side of the head to make Johnny's hair.

5. Add clothing details with your marker, as desired.

Tips & Warnings

• If you do not have tape to secure the yarn hair, apply it with liquid white glue before attaching the hat in step 2.

• Readers' theater scripts about Johnny Appleseed are available online or at your local library.

• Do not allow young children to use scissors without adult supervision.

References

• Enchanted Learning: Johnny Appleseed